LUCEA, Hanover — The rush for places in the Inter-zone round as well as the Ben Francis Knock-out competition should intensify today as the return-round of the ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel daCosta Cup schoolboys’ football competition continues with 34 games across all 12 rounds.

While two schools, defending champions Rusea’s High and St Mary Technical, have already secured their places in the Inter-zone round, another five schools could secure their places today.

Former champions St James High, Cedric Titus and the winner of the St Elizabeth Technical vs Munro College Zone F game secure their places. Meanwhile, Manchester High, Denbigh High and Buff Bay High could advance with a win, coupled with the result of other games in their zones.

Additionally, two Ben Francis KO spots could be secured by Rusea’s and Cedric Titus with wins.

The Ben Francis KO competition is contested by the 12 zone winners only.

Eighteen schools have already been eliminated from Inter-zone consideration and are playing out the remainder of their schedules.

To add spice to today’s round of games, there will be five derbies.

While both Rusea’s High and Frome are expected to advance from Zone B, the champions are seeking a place in the Ben Francis Knockout and will take a perfect nine-win record into today’s game at the Collin Miller Sports Complex in Lucea as well as a seven games unbeaten streak over the Westmoreland school.

Rusea’s are off to the best start ever and have scored 56 goals with one against, and after beating Frome 2-0 away, will fancy their chances of scoring their 10th straight win today.

Brian Brown has been on a goal-scoring spree and has 21 to his credit already and will lead the charge again.

Cedric Titus are also off to the best start ever with seven straight wins, while conceding one goal and a win over Marcus Garvey again today would see them secure their spot in the knockout competition in at least four years.

At Jarrett Park, unbeaten Zone A leaders St James High have drawn their last two games and will host second-placed Cornwall College who are coming off two wins and are unbeaten over their last three games — conceding just one goal over the period.

St James had won the first round game 2-1 to extend their winning streak against Cornwall to four games, but have looked out of sorts over their last four outings, edging last-placed Irwin 1-0, coming from behind to draw 1-1 against Green Pond then drawing 0-0 against Irwin on Wednesday.

STETHS, meantime, were held 1-1 by Munro in the first round, but will hope home field advantage in Santa Cruz will tilt the scales in their favour in the Zone F top-of-the-table clash.

Both schools are on 22 points, but STETHS have played eight matches, one less than Munro and boast a much better goal difference of 45 to Munro’s 21.

STETHS’s Kevon Farquharson has also scored in all eight games his team has played so far and will be seeking to extend that run today and add to his 15 goals.

Manchester High (21 points) have a four-point lead at the top of Zone G over Spaulding, who they will visit today, but even another win this season would not secure their place just yet unless Christiana High (10 points) beat Bellefield High (12 points) again.

A win for Denbigh High (24 points) over Kemps Hill in Zone I and a win for Glenmuir over Garvey Maceo would see Denbigh advance past the first round for the first time since the 2006 season.

Glenmuir and Garvey Maceo are tied on 19 points each, but the latter have played two games less and had won the first round game 3-1.

In Zone K, leaders Buff Bay High (16 points) can earn a spot with a win over Happy Grove, but only if Titchfield (10 points) can at least earn a draw against Port Antonio High, who are on 12 points.

Today’s games

Zone A

St James vs Cornwall College

Muschett vs Spot Valley

Irwin vs Green Pond

Zone B

Merlene Ottey vs Green Island

Rusea’s vs Frome

Maldon vs Anchovy

Zone C

Ocho Rios vs Brown’s Town

Cedric Titus vs Marcus Garvey

Albert Town vs York Castle

Zone D

Brimmervale vs Iona

Tacky vs St Mary High

Zone E

Petersfield vs Godfrey Stewart

Grange Hill vs Maud McLeod

Little London vs Mannings

Zone F

STETHS vs Munro

Newell vs Black River

Balaclava vs Lacovia

Zone G

Holmwood vs Mile Gully

Bellefield vs Christiana (1:30 pm)

Spaulding vs Manchester

Zone H

Claude McKay vs Lennon

Clarendon College vs Alston

Porus vs Thompson Town

Zone I

Vere Tech vs Bustamante

Garvey Maceo vs Glenmuir

Kemps Hill vs Denbigh

Zone J

McGrath vs Tacius Golding

Bog Walk vs Ewarton

Charlemont vs Dinthill

Zone K

Titchfield vs Port Antonio

Happy Grove vs Buff Bay

Annotto Bay vs Fair Prospect

Zone L

Morant Bay vs Robert Lightbourne

Paul Bogle vs St Thomas Technical